Quotable....

Quotable....



Robert Frost

The best way out is always through.





Thursday, June 24, 2010

What happened in these parts on Father's day...

See these average looking work boots.  They are dirty, brown, and a Wal-mart special purchased on the fly one day when we were making a Wal-mart run in town (Waco) and hubby remembered he needed some replacements.  But here is their most important quality...

STEEL TOE.  Because of this feature my David still has his toes....thank the Lord.

Sunday, yes, Father's Day, there was no big celebration (we usually lay low on Sundays anyway), our oldest girls were spending the day with their mother's father and so David headed out for a few simple tasks in the pasture with our youngest cowgirl in training, Sophia.  They had been out for a few hours and I was just expecting them to get home when the phone rang.  As I picked it up, I could hear grunting, and then David yelling out "Jenny, my foot is pinned down by the trailer get Allen and come quick!!!"  I ran out our front door and saw Allen (David's brother) and my nephew Nick (16 yo) just heading into their home (our two homes share a driveway out here in the boonies) and I called out, "There is an emergency and David is hurt out in the pasture!" 

In no time we reached David, (Allen flew the mile and a half down our rutted dirt road)  And as we arrived I noticed that the part of the two wheeled trailer (loaded with a 500 gallon FULL water tank), the neck, that usually is attached to the ball hitch of the truck was pressed firmly to the ground pinning my husband's left foot so hard to the ground I couldn't make out his foot underneath it.  The three of us (well, mostly Allen, and Nick) started to try to heave the trailer neck off his foot, only to painfully budge it up before it pressed down again.  David howled, and next Allen took a steel bar (part of the jack that had given way and lead to the trailer on the foot) and dug it under the trailer neck as Nick, David and I, again lifted the trailer only about three inches up, but enough for David to pry his boot off the neck and out of the way. 
Only then did I notice our silent still Sophia, standing two feet away looking startled yet dry eyed.  Allen, the closest to her, grabbed her and handed her to me and Nick helped David into the truck and we were off again....to the small town ER only a few minutes away.

As Allen again flew down the highway into town to the ER, poor little Sophia let loose with bawling.  David grimaced and grabbed his boot in awful pain but was quiet.  When we arrived in the ER, and I signed papers (it must be done, you know), I finally was able to take in the state of us.  Allen, just before the emergency, had just come in from the pasture and had on his most breezy jeans (with more than 8 holes plus some patches) and his sweat and dirt covered ratty old work shirt,  Nick was in the midst of getting dressed and had on an old dirty t-shirt, new shorts and dirty dusty old work boots, and I with no make up, no comb through the hair, an old t-shirt, and shorts plus neon blue Crocs.....lovely. 

But thankfully for a small town ER, they got David back quickly, and then it was boot removal time.....For what we had seen in the pasture, we all felt that toes might be lost, but as the boot came off.....Hallelujah!  The sock was intact, and only a pencil sized dot of blood was to be seen.  Then the nurse cut off the sock and immediately we were faced with two deep purple near black toes (big toe and adjacent toe).  David, who rarely takes any type of medication, asked the nurse, "Please, can something be done for the pain?" But he had to wait as he was whisked off for x-rays, once he was in a room, the morphine came and helped some, but then the word was quickly in from the x-ray...his second toe was fractured and had to be reset...yikes.  It seemed the next moment the capable country doctor was putting in a local and in 1 minute it was set and immediately pinked up.  Ahhhh

David was thankful for the local, as it eased the sharpest of the pain, and then it was one more x-ray....which showed the toe to be nicely back in place.  During the times in between the x-rays David told his tale, and we looked over the boot that had been on the injured foot.  As you can see the boot is a bit mangled and torn, the thick sole on one side even showed that the impact had cut it somewhat, but the steel.....not bent one little bit.  Job well done boots!

So now, David is home for the week, foot less purplish, propped up and healing albeit painfully.  We have all reassessed the importance of safety in the pasture.  And even last night Sara and I got a good dose of hearty farm work in by pitchforking hay from the thankfully small section of pasture David had just cut before his accident, to the barn for winter. 

Honestly, at times I am at odds with the demands of the livestock and the land.  David LOVES the land, the work, and the livestock.  The girls have grown up learning skills (putting up fences, clearing pastures, putting down seed for hay, running a tractor, shots for healthy cows, cutting calves for sale, putting out feed daily, etc) that are invaluable.  So, in light of the scare on Sunday I prayed and considered our priorities.  And I watched Monday as Sara, my niece Alyssa, Sophia, my sister-in-law Michelle and I moved cows from the waterless pasture (this is not my normal at all....I'm still learning here) under David's direction, to the area with a tank and was moved by the family teamwork.  Then last night I saw Sara put herself to some hard work, non complaining, sure of what she was doing and stepping up to help.  It is hard, there are ups and downs with cattle prices, feed cost, seed cost, and time invested but how special that we are in this together, learning as we go. 

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Thoughts about Fatherhood

Yesterday morning on the Today Show they had a segment on a special "Fathers and kids" football/sports camp that works at encouraging men as fathers and leaders and providing a time for some Father-child activities.  All of a sudden I was tearing up watching the kids hugging their dads and tromping around playing with them and Sophia was looking at me so concernedly.  I hugged her and told her that "I'm just happy to see those daddies with their little kids" and she broke out in a smile. 


I grew up knowing I was loved and cared for by my mom, dad, and step dad and all the dear family that we were raised near.  My parents divorced when I was 9 years old and my sister was 4yo.  We saw my dad about 3 times a year, and talked to him about once a month.  Our step dad came into our lives when I was 13 going on 14 and was very good in caring for us and being a steady character in our lives.  I loved my step dad but the sense of easy affection was something that wasn't comfortable until I was in college and better appreciated the man he was (he just passed away this April).  And my dad does love on us, but again the everyday sense of Fatherly affection was not something I was accustomed to.  And this would seem to be a small matter until one weekend getaway in college.
I was a sophomore in college, and in our first weekend of Spring Break six of us from our Bible study group (we had met weekly for study since our first month of college the year before) decided to have a getaway at one of the girl's family ranch in Brenham, TX.  The weather was great, we got along so well, and my friend's family was completely welcoming and friendly.  We had been there the whole first afternoon when my friend's dad arrived from work to surprise his girl at our campsite in the pasture.  He called her name as he approached our group, with his arms open wide and she jumped up and jogged over to him and they embraced.  We all got up to meet him, yet I kept myself at the back of the group because I couldn't help that I was crying.  I composed myself enough to politely greet him and then he gallantly showed us around the property.  But I couldn't believe how overcome I became in that moment.  How that greeting resounded with me. 
We had a sweet time at the ranch with her family but I would get a catch in my throat when I thought of that moment.  Around this time of my life I prayed for the hope I had in my heart of being married, and the blessing of children.  And, I prayed for the Father my possible future husband would be and the mother I should be.  I would say around that time is when I offered hugs to my step dad more often.  I was urged by the Lord in my heart to call my dad more.  And God provided changes for good but I still hoped that I would see the same wonder of Fatherly love with my own little ones one day.

And, Praise God!, I have.  David is a wonder of a Father.  When I first met him he was already a dad (Anna was 5, Sara 3) and a serving, loving, strong, responsible one at that.  And we have been further blessed with another little one (well she is 3 yo now, maybe not so little) and I have been gifted again with seeing him father from "scratch". 
And I have seen him open arms wide to his girls and sweep them in a big embrace.  I have seen him take care of hurt hearts and scraped knees.  He has taught them truth, and the meaning of hard work.  He has held their hands in protection crossing the road, and clapped his hands cheering them on in all they try.  He has prayed alongside them and over them, even at times they do not know.   He strives to be the Father that God has called him to be with much grace, forgiveness and love. 

So I wish my David encouragement on Father's day to continue to be the protector/provider he is to our girls. And I pray that should a Father/child moment ever cause their heart to catch it's breath it would be because they know so well how their own Father (both earthly and heavenly) loved them full well. 

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

French-y getaway/giveaway

This is actually going to be a brief post. Dear Frenchy at Le Chateau des Fleurs blog hosts a monthly French Obsession Party linking Franophiles to new interesting blogs and generously sponsors a giveaway the 1st of each month.  Stop over at her site:

and enter the giveaway by simply commenting or just join in the fun by visiting the links (hint, I added a link to part of our June '08 visit to Paris).  Happy June and Summer dear bloggy buddies!

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